With all the local media attention focused on the rise in sexual assaults last semester, Penn State representatives gave the Board of Trustees a comprehensive look at the situation at Friday's meeting.

Vicky Triponey, vice president of student affairs, said there were 37 sexual assaults reported in the area last semester. The majority of those were off campus, 29 total, while the other eight occurred on campus, she said.

Triponey emphasized only four of those on campus were in dorms.

She also said 29 of those cases were committed by acquaintances, whereas only eight assailants were strangers.

Triponey then led a panel of speakers giving a recap of events that have taken place in response to the assaults and stating that the work of the university and the community is not done.

"We all have a job to do, whether it's lighting or police, but this is not something we can do alone," she said. "The entire campus and community needs to come together."

One new initiative discussed was in conjunction with greek life on campus.

Emily Armbruster, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) co-director of women's affairs, said the executive board and risk management team of the Interfraternity Council went through training last weekend to educate the groups on the issues surrounding sexual assaults.

"Training will be mandatory from the executive board down," she said. "Then houses can be designated as 'safe houses' and advertised as this."

She said this is part of a campaign to inform the entire Penn State community about sexual assault.

Peggy Lorah, director of the Center for Women Students, said throughout the semester they have had 35 different programs or activities. The programs help educate students about risks and ways to protect themselves and over a thousand students took part.

"Through national research, we learn that about one in four college-aged women are the victims of an attempted or completed sexual assault," she said. "One in eight women are the victims of completed assaults."

Lorah said Penn State is on par with other universities by with numbers, but they are striving to be below average.

Maurine Claver, director of Environmental Health and Safety, said the university was working on identifying areas on campus that need improved lighting.

First, members working for the university identified areas that were not well lit and then worked on putting the installation of new lights into their schedule. The installation of these new lights is in progress.

Ian Rosenberger, USG president, explained to the board the status of the group's efforts off campus.

He said they went to speak with fraternities and helped them find funding to increase the lighting around their houses. They also spoke with realtors to add lighting by apartment complexes and have walked through town with the State College Borough Council to find dark areas that USG doesn't have jurisdiction over.